Method of and apparatus for making lead head fasteners



June 1, 1937, J. M. UPTON 2,082,604

METHOD OF AND APPARATUS FOR MAKING LEAD HEAD FASTENERS Filed Nov. 25, less Q Q P IML John W. Zlpzon. v

Patented June 1, 1937 LEAD HEAD FASTENERS mm M Upton, Chicago, 111., assignor to Filshie Lead Head Nail Company, Inc., Chicago, 111., a

- corporation of Illinois Application November 25, 1935, Serial No. 51,455

16 Claims.

This invention relates to a method of and apparatus for making lead head nails, and more particularly to the formation on the head of a hail, of a cap of lead or other relatively soft material. Such nails are employed for a variety of purposes such as the securement of corrugated metallic roofing, where it is necessary to seal the nail to the roofing abovethe hole through which the nail shank projects.

In the formation of lead or. the like caps on nail heads by casting, it is important to insure the flow of a sufficient thickness of lead under the head, since it is this lead in particular which af- -fords the sealing between the roofing and the nail itself. It is also important for the sake of economy to provide suitable means for spacing the blank nails uniformly and with dispatch.

Prior to the present invention, attempts to secure these desirable results have .been attended with indifferent success, and have required the employment of cumbersome and time consuming apparatus.

It is accordingly a principal object of the present invention to provide a simple means for insuring the .correct and uniform spacing of the blank nail heads so that anadequate thickness of lead will be cast thereto and thereunder.

It is another object 'of the invention to provide spacing means of this character involving no moving parts whatever.

It is a further object of the invention to incorporate spacing means of this character with a mold for casting purposes, as a unit.

Another object of the invention involves the provision of spacing means of this character with which conventional or other nail cap casting molds may be equipped, without any material change in any of the mold construction.

' It isa still further object of the invention tov provide a simplified method of positioning and holding'blank nails in properly spaced relation to a casting mold structure.

Another object of the invention involves the provision of improved nail-blank spacing means arranged to cooperate with a nail hole in the casting mold to bring the nail readily to rest in proper position for the casting operation.

The invention involves the further object of providing spacing means of this character which does not require adjustment at any time and which is not subject to wear.

In accordance with the general features of one form of the invention, there is provided at diametrically opposite points at the upper part of a mold and adjacent a nail hole, a pair of upstanding lugs of preferably the same height from the surface of the mold.

When a nail is dropped point downward into the hole, its head is arrested by the lugs and is held at rest'by the lugs in a plane substantially parallel to the plane of the upper surface of the mold. The mold may be provided with any number of nail holes and with a pair of lugs as described for caoperation with each hole. 01 course, any number of lugs maybe provided, or if desired a ring may be employed instead.

A plate is preferably positioned over the mold and formed with a concavity of a shape corresponding with the cap to be formed. The spacing means may or may not project beyond the periphery of the nail head, and the wall of the a cavity in the plate clears the outer periphery of the nail head. Above this plate is a top plate provided with pouring gates. Suitable provision is made for the proper alignment of the gates, cavities and nails. After the metal is solidified, the top plate may be swung so as to shear the poured metal flat with the intermediate Plate in which the cavities are formed. The intermediate plate thereafter may be readily removed and the capped nails removed without difllculty.

Further objects and advantages of the invention willv appear as the description proceeds.

The invention (in preferred forms) is illustrated in the drawing and hereinafter more fully described.

On the drawing:

Figure 1 is a fragmentary plan view of a mold assembly embodying the invention, preparatory to pouring of the capping metal.

Figure 2 is an enlarged fragmentary plan view of a nail receiving mold-member employing-the invention.

Figure -3 is a. fragmentary sectional view showing a nail head spaced in accordance with the invention, prior to operative assembly of the mold arts.

p Figure 4 is a fragmentary sectional view taken as indicated by the line-IVIV in Figure 1, but

after the capping mtal has been poured.

Figure 5 is a view similar to but taken at an angle to Figure 4, with the top plate shifted, leaving the complete capp e'd nail.

Figure 6 is a fragmentarmsectional view taken as indicated by the line VI-VI in Figure 1.

Figure 7 is a sectional. view through the shank of the capped nail, looking toward the cap.

K heads of fasteners.

. .The plate I is illustrated Referring now more particularly to the drawing, the mold structure is illustrated as comprising a bottom nail receiving mold plate I, an in.- termediate plate 2 complemental to the plate I in the formation of the lead or like nail head cap, and a top plate 3 provided with pouring gates complemental to the cap-forming "cavity or cavities in' the intermediate plate 2. Each of the plates may be formed to produce caps on one or a large number of nail heads. It will'sufilce for this specification, however,- to describe portions of the plates cooperating in the formation of a cap for a single nail.

with a nail hole 4- for receiving the shank! of a nail 6. The hole 4 may terminate upwardly wlthout'a flare, but is preferably flared as at I to facilitate insertion of the nail by guiding the point 8 thereof into the hole 4. The flare at 1 serves also to receive a portion of the lead to form part of the lead cap, as will appear hereinafter. In accordance with one form of'the invention, two pins 9 are arranged preferably diametrically opposite each other adjacent the flare I. These pins are fixedly embedded or secured otherwise to the nail receiving plate I and extend the same distance up from the plate I. These pins aiford an abutment to engage the underside ID of the nail head II and may be so'arranged a's-to lie'inwardly of or project beyond the outer periphery I2 of the nail head.

The complementary mold plate 2 is provided with any desired shape of cavity I3 dependent upon the shape of cap desired, In the illustrated form J the invention. this cavity is generally semi-s herical and of such size that sufflcient space is provided for the flow of the lead and for the provision of a lead cap of the desired thickness throughout. The upper part of the cavity I3 is rendered accessible from municating hole I4.

The pouring and shearing plate v3 is provided with a-pouring gate I5 for each cavity I3. This gate converges ,downwardly and terminates in a hole It which is adapted to register with the hole I4 inthe plate 2. The pouring plate 3 may be swung or otherwise shifted with respect to the intermediate plate 2, as shown in Figure. 5, to thereby shear the metal at the upper surface of the plate 2, the lead in the cavity I5 and the hole It being again usable.

the top by-a ,com-

' Nailsoi the same shank diameter-are made in various lengths and various diameters of heads.

Accordingly it will be appreciated that while the spacing means 9 may come within the outer periphery of the head of one size nail, they may come flush with or extend somewhat beyond such periphery. In any event said eans serve equally well to properly space the nail head from the upper surface of the plate I. The spacing means, when in the form of spaced lugs as at 9, are arranged laterally in spaced relation to the shank 5 in order to allow the molten lead to flow in the space between such lugs and the shank and thus completely surround the lugs 9.

The lugs 9 or other suitable spacing means may be of cylindrical or any other suitable form and, if desired, may be rounded transversely as at theupper extremities thereof.

As the shearing plate 3 is moved out of the way, the intermediate plate 2 is raised to or beyond the position previously occupied by the be thereupon readily removed to make way for the feeding of nail blanks to the holes ,4. The plate I is preferably stationary and is accordingly suitably supported preferably with thenail shanks projecting below.

The threeplates may be pivotally connected and, to this end, provided with holes I9, 20 and 2I, respectively, adapted to receive a pivot pin 22 which preferably is fixed to the plate I.

The plate 2 is provided "on its underside with one or more fixed projections 2 of preferably slightly greater extent in a downward direction than the distance the finished cap will project above the upper level 23 of the plate I. These lugs or projections are engageable with said level of the plate I whenever the respective mold openings are out of register.

In the use of this structure, the plates 2 and 3 are first positioned clear of' the various nail holes 4 in the plate I. Thereupon, a nail 6 is deposited in each hole, the nail coming to rest when the head II thereof. abuts the spacing means 9. The gravity effect on the nail and the supportof the head thereof at substantially diametrically opposite points will hold the nail head flat, so that the metal which is to flow there under will be formed of uniform thickness under the head. After the nails 6 have been deposited in the openings 4, the plate 2 in its elevated position is swung or otherwise shifted over the plate I until the .mold openings are registered.

, When that point is reached, the lugs 2 drop into corresponding holes 24 in the upper part of the plate I, said holes being sufficiently deep to allow the plate 2 to rest on the level 23 0fthe lower plate I.

The plate 3 may have one or more ho1es 25 registering with one or more holes 28 in the plate 2., to receive a removable pin or pins 21 to detachably hold these plates with their respective capforming openings in alignment.

The top plate 3 may be moved with or separately from the intermediate plate 2 when the latter is being moved to cooperative position over the plate I. However, as pointed out' above, after the pouring and solidification of the metal are completed, the top plate is moved relative to the plate 2 so as to shear the metal in the gate, leaving the completed cap for each nail.

The plate 2 is then jarred slightly to release the cavity walls thereof from the caps formed over the heads of the nails, and then the plate 2 is raised sufilciently to clear the knobs II on the nail caps. The plate 2 is then swung or otherwise shifted with the lugs 2 sliding over the surface 23, if desired, to a position where it is laterally clear of the caps.

Manipulation of the plate 2, and the other plates, if desired, may be facilitated by the proquiring no adjustment, subject to substantially no wear, and may be readily and permanently applied in position for cooperation with the blank A nail, and cooperates with the nail head in such a manner as not only to space it properly from the nail. receiving mold member but also to hold thenail head level with respect to the top level of the nail receiving mold. The hole for receiving the nail must of necessity be of a size to accomthreads in the shank in the case of screw nails to be driven by a hammer or otherwise.

Notwithstanding the slight clearance that. may exist between any .nail shank and the wall of the opening therefor, the spacing means embodying the invention serves in conjunction with the wall of the hole to quickly bring the nail to rest with its head inproper position to receive a cap which will be of uniform thicknessunder the nail head and circumferentially over the head if:

desired- I Should the caps of the nails adhere to the mold plate 2, they may be. jarred loose therefrom or ilihrust therefrom by pins applied over the knobs If necessary or desirable, the plate I inverted to dispose of the capped nails.

Because of the flare 1, the cap metal will form a generally wedge-like sealing projection 29 about the shank 5. The resultant nail has a hole formed by each spacing element 9.

The cavity in the plate 2 may terminate at the upper surface of said plate, without the provision of the hole I 4, if desired.

The spacing means 9 may be'non-circularor angular in cross-section, if desired.

The pins 2' and holes 24 maybe reversed, so that the pins may ride on the underside of the plate 2. Any other suitable equivalent means may be substituted therefor.

The nail head spacing means may be made may be adjustable if desired, to vary the thickness of cap metal under the head. Such means could for example be threadedly connected to the plate I.

The cavity walls in the plate 2 preferably are lubricated sothat when the casting and shearing are completed the capped nails will not cling to the plate 2 as said plate is raised. The capped nails then adhere to the mold plate I, which is thereupon inverted and the nail points 8 struck 'to dislodge the nails, which fall into a keg or other suitable container.

The plate 2 could be arranged to be swung .up

from the mold plate I, if desired. The shear plate 3 could be pivoted at its center to the center of the plate 2 and be simply rotated about such axis as it slides on the upper surface of the plate 2.

The mold plate I may be made convex upward or otherwise shaped at the spacing means 9 if it is desired to impart a fillet or concavity or other shape to the bottom side of the cap.

After considerable use of the plate l, the holes 4 may become enlarged due to wear by the nail shanks as they are deposited in and removed from such holes. Hence three or more preferably substantially equally circumferentially spacedspacing lugs 9 may be employed at each Figures 8 and 9' show spacing means compris ing respectively one ing and three lugs.

As the invention is directed to a method of and I am aware that many changes may be made and numerous details of construction may be varied through a wide range without departing from the principles of this inventon, and I, therefore, do not purpose limiting the patent granted hereon otherwise than necessitated by the prior I claim as my invention:

1. Apparatus for casting a cap onto a nail head, comprising nail shank receiving means, and means for engaging the nail head and spacing it from the receiving means to provide-clearance for the access of capping material under the nail head to embrace the shank.

. 2 Apparatus for casting a cap onto a nail head, comprising nail shank receiving means, and means for engaging the underside of the nail head and spacing it from the receiving means to provide clearance for the access of capping material under the nail head to embrace the shank.

3. In a method of forming a cap for a headed nail, providing a nail shank-receiving mold with means to space the nail head from the mold, providing an enclosure for the head and spacing means, and casting a cap inthe enclosure about' juncture of the'shank and head for the reception of a substantial thickness of capping material at said juncture. 5. Apparatus for forming caps about nail heads, comprising a mold or die having a nail shank receiving hole having a flared wall at the top to provide between it and the upper part of the shank an annular space for the reception of capping material, and spacing'means carried by said mold "and engageable with the head of the nail for spacing the nail head from the mold to permit the capping material to enter said annular space. 5 l

6. Apparatus for forming caps about nail heads, comprising a moldor die having a nail shank receiving hole having a .flared wall at the top to provide between it and the upper part of the shank an annular space for the reception of capping material, and! spacing means carried by said mold and engageable'with the under side of the head of the nail for spacing the nail head from the mold to permit the capping material to enter said annular space.

7. Apparatus for forming caps on nail heads, comprising a mold member having a nail receiving hole, means carried by said mold member for spacing the nail head from the mold member, a complemental mold) member adapted to be'supported by the first mold member and having a cap-shaped cavity adapted to receive the elevated nail head, and also adapted to receive the cap metal to be poured, means for holding said members in cooperative relation during the pourirg operation, said members being separable to an extent enabling the upper memthe upper part of the shank.

ber to shift laterally clear of the top of the cap so fqrmed, "and means for spacing said members to said extent during such shifting of the upper member. I

8. Apparatus for forming caps on nail heads, comprising a mold member having a nail shank, receiving hole, projecting means extendingfrom said member adjacent said hole so as to engage the nail head and space the latter from said member, said means being positioned'in spaced relation to the shank when the shank is in the hole,. whereby the cap-forming material may enter under the head and between said means and the upper-part of the shank.

- 9. Apparatus for forming caps on nail heads, comprising a mold member having a nail shank receiving hole, projecting means comprising an abutment extending from said member adjacent said hole so as to engage the nail head and space the latter from said member, said means being positioned in spaced relation to the shank when the shank is in the hole, whereby the cap-forming material may enter under the. head and between said means and the upper part of the shank. 4

l0. Apparatus-for forming caps on nail heads, comprising a mold member having a nail shank receiving hole, projecting means comprising a plurality of spaced abutments extending from said member adjacent said hole so as to engage the nail head and space the latter from said member, said means being positioned in spaced relation to the shank when the shank is in the hole, whereby the cap-forming material may enter under the head and between said means and 11. Apparatus for forming caps on nail heads,

- comprising a mold member having a nail shank receivinghoie, projecting means extending from said member adjacent said hole so as to engage the nail head and space the latter from said member, said means being positioned in spaced relation to 'the shank when the shank is in the hole, whereby the cap-forming material may enter under the head and between said means and the upper part of the shank, said means being of relatively small cross section so as not to materially, weaken the under side of the cap.

12. Apparatus for capping headed nails, comprising a moldgmember having a hole to receive a nail shank, and means extending up from said member adjacent the hole andproviding a substantially three-point support for the head of the nail in the desired spaced relation to said member.

13. Apparatus for capping headed nails, comprising means for receiving-the shank of a nail, means providing a surface facing the under side of the head of the nail, and means of less than circular extent relative to the axis of the nail and engageable with a part of the under side of the head of the nail for spacing the head from said surface so that capping material may enter between said surface and an unengaged part of the nail head in circular alignment with said means. K

14. Apparatus for capping headed nails, comprising means of less than circular extent relative to the axis of the nail and engageable with a part of the under side of the headof a nail in spaced relation, to the shank of the nail for spacing the head from a surface so that capping material may enter between the surface and an unengaged part of the nail head in circular alignment with said means.

15. Apparatus for forming caps on nail heads, comprising a mold member having a nail receiving'hole, means for spacing the nail head from the mold member, a complemental mold member having a cap-shaped cavity adapted to receive the elevated nail head, and also adapted to receive the cap metal to be poured, and means for holding said members in cooperative relation during the pouring operation, said members being separable to an extent enabling theupper member to laterally clear the top of the cap so formed. v

16. Apparatus for forming caps on nail heads, comprising a mold member having a nail receiving hble, means engageable with the head of the nail for spacing the nail head from the mold member, a complemental mold member having a cap-shaped cavity adapted to. receive the elevated nail head, and also adapted to receive the cap metalvto be poured, and means for holding said members in cooperative relation during the pouring operation, said members being separable to an extent ena bling the upper member to laterlally clear the top of the cap so formed during 5 ch relative lateral movement of said members.

JOHN M. UP'I'ON. 

